Life Is
by Startix-Master of the NoLess
Summary: Life is many things, and not just strange. Short stories of life, love, and laughter between the ladies of Blackwell Academy.
1. Worth It

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** Max used to have simple nights. But with Chloe in her life, nothing was that simple anymore.

* * *

There were three things Max Caulfield was certain of in the world: she was a hipster, Victoria was a grade-A bitch, and Chloe Price was disaster waiting to happen. That is why she was not at all surprised when she was woken to the sound of the punk rocker clambering into her dorm at the ungodly hour of 1:17 in the morning.

Max sighed and rolled over just in time to see Chloe quietly lowering the window, as though she hadn't woken up half the dorm with her sad attempt at being a ninja. "And good morning to you, too, Chloe."

"Jesus shit!" Max had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop from laughing at the sight of Chloe leaping nearly a foot in the air and stumbling over her own feet, crashing to the ground. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Max raised an eyebrow. "I live here?" There was a pause before Chloe muttered 'I live here.' in a mocking tone under her breath. Max rolled her eyes and got into a sitting position. "So, what is it this time?"

Chloe let out a long, weary sigh before flopping onto the floor. "Step-douche was ramping it up to eleven. I had to get out of there before I lost it. And so I figured, why not pay the best girlfriend in the world a visit?"

Max was thankful that the dim light of her dorm concealed her blush. "First you sneak into my dorm–badly–and now you flatter me. Why do I feel like you want more than a place to crash for the night?"

Chloe was on her in seconds, pinning her to the bed. The punk's eyes locked onto her own and she licked her lips with barely hidden lust that bordered on ravenous hunger. "Because I do." she purred, causing shivers to run down Max's spine. "I'm fucking horny, Caulfield, and I need you to cure what ails me."

"'Ails'?" chuckled Max, not minding at all that she was currently at the mercy of a randy punk rocker with a moral compass in the yellow zone. "Someone's vocabulary leveled up."

Chloe responded by lightly flicking Max's ear, making her yelp. "Smartass."

"You always tell me how much you love my ass." replied the hipster, grinning ear to ear. She yelped again seconds later when she felt Chloe's slender hands work their way under the sheets to cup her, as the rocker so charmingly stated at one point, 'bitchin' apple booty'.

"That's 'cuz I do." Chloe moved her hands up to Max's waist and pulled the girl in for a kiss, Max almost immediately pulling away. "The hell, what's wrong?"

The hipster wiped her mouth and gagged. "Your breath reeks of cigarettes."

"…And that's…bad?"

"Yeah, it's bad!" Max quietly screamed. "I don't want my mouth to smell like the first act of an after-school special."

Chloe rolled her eyes and groaned loudly. "Christ, do you want me to take a mint or something?" Her question was answered a moment later when Max held up a peppermint, popping it into Chloe's mouth.

"The shit I have to go through to get laid." Chloe muttered grumpily, sucking on the candy.

Max got up and pulled the punk-rocker into a kiss, relishing the warm wetness of her girlfriend's tongue mixed with the sweetness of the mint. As she pulled away, she stuck out her tongue and winked at the flabbergasted blue-haired girl. "Admit it. I'm worth it."

A cheeky grin crossed Chloe's face as she pinned down the hipster again, moving her hands up her shirt. "Damn right you are."


	2. Passable

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

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 **Summary:** Breakfast can sure go from zero to rewind pretty damn fast.

* * *

The mornings where the Price family were half-asleep were always the quietest. Chloe was too under to be her usual biting self, David was barely awake to criticize anyone, and Joyce…well, there wasn't much difference, but nonetheless; half-asleep Price family, much happier Max, and a much quieter breakfast.

Chloe was numbly sawing into a stack of pancakes with the wrong end of a butterknife, eyes lidded and listless. Joyce was looking over a Reader's Digest at nothing in particular, and David had been stirring an empty coffee cup for about fifteen minutes.

Max wasn't able to escape the early-morning doldrums, either; the half-asleep miasma seemed to infect her as well. And it was her lack of attention to the rest of the world that led to the following exchange.

"Hey," grumbled Chloe through a mouthful of pancake. "Pass the butter, would you, daddy?"

"Sure." spoke Max and David at the same time, both hands reaching towards the butter dish.

There was roughly a two-second pause where the universe itself hit some sort of cosmic speed bump, and the half-asleep miasma that seemed to infest the Price household dissipated almost immediately.

Chloe dropped her knife in shock, cheeks flaming red and heart pounding like a Metallica drummer. David turned slowly to face Max, a mixture of shock, fury, and confusion plastered on his face. Joyce's eyes were as wide as the plates breakfast was served on, and though her lips were drawn in a tight line, she was on the verge of bursting into laughter.

"What did you just say?" came David's voice in a quavering whisper.

But Max was already concentrating, and the edges of her sight began to ripple…

* * *

"Hey, pass the butter, would you, daddy?"

"Sure." spoke David, and this time Max kept her voice and hands to herself. Butter was passed, breakfast continued, and no one called the police. And Max was much more awake.


	3. Amenable

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** She stopped, because she saw, for the first time in her life, by what sort of look one learns that a time-traveling woman is capable of killing.

* * *

"I'm going to kill you." seethed Max. Chloe tried to defend herself, but Max silenced her with a hole-denting punch in the wall, making her, and a few students in the halls, jump. "I'm going to dropkick you to death, rewind a few times to do it again, then when I'm tired, I'm going to drive out to the cliffs, and toss your body to the whales."

Chloe chuckled nervously, inching away from the raging hipster. "That sounds awfully specific, hun."

"Don't you _fucking_ 'hun' me, you…you…you ass!"

Chloe had never seen Max this angry. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She was pretty angry when she pulled her hair into pigtails when she was asleep once. This, this was a whole new level of rage.

"This is why I don't bring you around my friends." Max growled, advancing on Chloe. The punk-rocker backed further and further away, suddenly a aware of how small the dorm was. "I think to myself 'Chloe would probably like Kate. They might get along well. They're both friendly. And what's the first thing you say to her?"

Clearly the question was rhetorical, as Max immediately went into a fairly good imitation of Chloe. "'Holy shit, Max, I didn't know she was this hot! Hey, Kate, ever thought of a three-way?'"

In retrospect, it was not Chloe's finest hour. But she'd said/done far worse things. She couldn't think of any right now, but surely there was at least one. "Sorry?"

Max's eye twitched. "Sorry? _Sorry_?" She rounded on Chloe more, until the blue-haired girl was pressed against the wall. Her rough-and-tough exterior collapsed, and fear was present in her eyes. "You all but terrify one of my best friends with the suggestion of a three-way, and all you can think of to say is _sorry_!? Chloe Price, if I could remember your middle name right now I would use it in an ultimatum because _that is how mad I am at you_!"

"It's Harriet." piped up the rocker in what she thought was a helpful tone.

Max let out a gurgled, vicious shriek and tackled Chloe, sending them both flying out of the door. The hipster's tiny hands were wrapped around Chloe's neck, and all she could think of was how to dispose of the body–

"Um…am I interrupting something?"

Two pairs of eyes turned to look up, taking in the sight of Kate staring down at them. She smiled and gave a friendly wave.

"Hey, Kate." rasped Chloe, not at all minding Max was on the verge of crushing her windpipe. "What's the word?"

"Max, would you mind stopping the strangling of your girlfriend?" asked the blonde.

Reluctantly, Max released her hands, giving Chloe the finger as she stood up and dusted herself off. "Look, about Chloe's stupid-ass and insensitive suggestion earlier–"

"That's actually what I came to talk to you about." interrupted Kate. She shuffled her feet and stared at the floor. "Does…the offer still stand?"

Max's jaw dropped, Chloe helpfully and cheekily closing it for her and slinging an arm around her girlfriend's shoulder. "Name the time and place, Great Kate."

"I hate you…" groaned Max, holding her face in her hands as her cheeks bloomed red. "So, so, so much."

"Nah, you love me." replied the punk rocker, planting a kiss on the hipster's cheek.

"Yeah, I know."


	4. Awkward

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

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 **Summary:** The consequences of a late-night romp bleed over into school days.

* * *

Kate Marsh stood outside Max's door, pondering the drawing (if it could be called that) on the hipster's wipe board. Two circles, connected by a single line, and a crude drawing of a butterfly in the corner.

She knocked politely on the door, shuffling awkwardly. "Max? Are you okay? You weren't in class at all today…" No answer. She knocked again. "Are you sick? I could bring you some soup…" This time, Kate heard what sounded like a muffled cry.

Worry overtaking her better judgment now, she opened the door, and immediately wished she hadn't.

Max was fine, thankfully, but she was in quite a situation. Her hands had been cuffed to her headboard (which brought context to half of the wipe board drawing), the key to the cuffs slung around her neck, and a bright red ballgag had been shoved into her mouth, explaining the silence from the girl. All she'd had on were her panties, and Kate would forever associate Max with cartoon bunnies. But the icing on the cake was the smattering of hickies dotting the hipster's skin, particularly her breasts, thighs, and neck.

Max stared at the blonde in relief, pleading at her behind her gag and tugging her restraints. Kate, face scarlet, shut the door and raced over to help her friend, making sure to turn her gaze away as she unlocked the cuffs and pulled the ballgag from Max's mouth.

"Kate, I owe you forever." sighed Max, not at all perturbed by the fact that a close friend of hers had just seen her in a situation that seemed ripped from Maxim magazine. "I'm gonna freaking kill Chloe."

"Sh-She's the one who did this to you?" squeaked Kate, unable to prevent the image of Chloe binding and ravishing Max out of her mind. At least that explained the butterfly.

"Her idea of 'fun'." grumbled the hipster, rubbing her sore wrists and working her jaw. "Do me a favor and keep this to yourself?"

"Gladly."

Max smiled and began getting dressed. As she pulled on a shirt, Kate stealthily snatched up the cuffs and gag, stowing them in her purse. _'It's better if she doesn't have them.'_ she thought to herself, ignoring the beating in her chest and the fire between her legs. _'Remove temptation, the way a good friend would.'_


	5. Transparent

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** There's being unable to spit it out and then there's this.

* * *

A wise man once said that the only thing predictable about life was its unpredictability. And today, life had sought to make good on that claim by placing Victoria Chase right outside Max's door.

"Max Caulfield." she greeted, thrusting a finger at the hipster. "Today is your lucky day."

The brunette was barely awake, but managed a raspy, weary "What?"

"A little birdie told me you were having some trouble with your photography lately, and I've come to offer my services."

Max blinked in utter confusion. "Again…what?"

Victoria clucked her tongue in annoyance. "What's your portfolio filled with?"

It was too damn early for 20 Questions, but Max decided to humor the blonde. "Pictures."

"Of…?"

Max groaned in annoyance. "Myself, mostly?"

"Exactly!" Victoria's sudden shout made her jump. "It's no wonder you're flunking. Your binder's full of self-indulgent pictures. It's so egotistical, even _I_ look humble by comparison."

That got Max's attention, if only by a little bit. "Hey, you take selfies, too."

"Nowhere near as much as you, and you know it." Max opened her mouth to retort, but closed it after realizing that Victoria was, though she hated to admit it, right.

Victoria smiled smugly as she saw the resignation appear on Max's face. "Okay, fine. So, what, you're going to give me photography tips?"

"Not exactly. All you need is a little bit of spice in your portfolio. Maybe some shots of people besides yourself?"

Max chewed her lip thoughtfully. She supposed Victoria had the right idea. Shots of people that weren't selfies would certainly gussy up her album. "That's a pretty good idea."

"All my ideas are good ideas." smirked Victoria. "And lucky for you, in the spirit of friendship, I've decided to be your first model." She leaned against the doorframe, one arm up and the other slung over her waist, jutting her hips out seductively. "This is the part where you thank me."

Max blinked again, wondering if she was still asleep and that this was an incredibly odd dream. "Uh…thanks?"

"You're very welcome, Max. Meet me in my dorm after class; we'll get to work on making your drab little portfolio pop." With a wink and a wave, Victoria was gone.

Max rubbed her temples, wondering if what just happened really happened. With no time to catch even a quick power nap, she set about getting ready for the start of her day.

Meanwhile, Victoria strolled off to her first class, terrifying all who passed by with her bright, wide, and shockingly genuine smile.

* * *

Max stood outside Victoria's dorm, hand inches from the doorknob. Written on the blonde's wipeboard were the words "Max welcome, everyone else, screw off." The longer she stayed on this side of the door, the more impatient Victoria would get. And an irate Victoria was worse than a weird Victoria.

"Max," greeted Victoria as the hipster entered her domain. "Glad you could make it."

"Yeah, sorry I'm late, I needed some extra information for my hooooOOH my gosh."

Victoria was lying on her bed, but not in her trademark outfit of pants and cashmere cardigan. In fact, she wasn't in her trademark anything; instead, her naked body was on full display for the hipster. She was propping her head up with a hand, the other resting on her thigh. Her eyes gazed lustfully at the red-faced Max, whose knees were shaking like birch branches in an autumn wind.

"Find the place okay?" Victoria joked, twirling a lock of hair.

"Why are you naked!?"

The blonde did a wide, sweeping gesture of her bare form and gave a wink. "Does it bother you?"

It was a good four seconds before Max answered. "Not…really?"

That was the answer Victoria was hoping to hear. "Good. Now, why don't you put that camera to good use?"

"But why naked pictures of _you_?" Max asked, finding this whole situation beyond bizarre.

"There's nothing wrong with the human anatomy, Max." purred Victoria, her hungry gaze causing goosebumps to form on Max's skin.

"Certainly nothing wrong with yours." Max mumbled under her breath. "Are nude photos even allowed?"

Victoria shrugged, and even that action looked adoringly sexy to the flustered hipster. "Hard to say. But this should give you some decent practice. If you can't take a picture of someone naked, what can you take a picture of?"

That was insanely stupid logic, and somehow it made perfect sense.

Sighing, Max held up her camera, and though the barrier of lens separated her from the stark naked Victoria, she could barely stop her hands from shaking.

"Something the matter, Max dear?" Victoria smirked, relishing the effect she was having on the hipster.

She shook her head, afraid of what might come spilling out of her mouth if she opened it. With great effort, she steadied her hands and managed to snap a picture.

"OkayIthinkthat'senoughIshould probablygo." Max said in a hurried breath, shaking her picture quickly and fanning herself off in the process.

"Oh, Max, one picture isn't enough." Victoria pouted, inwardly grinning when she saw Max shake. "Here, I'll try a different pose."

The blonde drew herself up and got on her knees before bending over slightly, hands holding her breasts firm and pushed together. "Like it?" she asked.

Max was suddenly aware that, while her mouth was very very dry, somewhere else was very very wet. Her shaking, sweaty fingers almost made her drop her camera, but she somehow managed to snap the picture.

"Another pose?" asked Victoria, enjoying every minute of the situation. "I don't mind any requests."

 _'Aaaaand, yup, I've officially died and gone to heaven.'_ thought the hipster girl. _'It's roomier than I thought.'_

"Uh…um…" A thought struck her, a pose she totally hadn't seen a model strike that was totally not on the cover of Maxim magazine that she totally did not swipe from Chloe's room when she wasn't looking. "Stay on your knees, but spread them, lean back, and put your hands behind your head?"

Victoria gave Max a coy smile. "Are you asking me…or telling me?"

 _'Begging, more like.'_ "T-Telling."

The blonde smiled ear to ear and followed Max's direction to a T, adopting the pose of the model she totally hadn't ogled for twenty minutes so well, she would forever associate the cover of that magazine with Victoria. Which, to her, wasn't exactly a bad thing.

And so went the oddest evening of Max's life, treating Victoria, the girl who once terrorized her and the school at large, to her own personal photoshoot. Max milked the opportunity for all it was worth, having the blonde adopt the lewdest poses she could conceive. And despite the fact that, the more they did this, the hornier she got, she had to admire Victoria's confidence. She never once blushed, even the tiniest bit, and her eyes seemed to dazzle with pride as flash after flash immortalized her goddess-like form.

Finally, the sun was dipping beyond the clouds, and Max was out of film. "Guess that's all she wrote." chuckled Max nervously, amazed she hadn't died from blood loss. "Thanks for all your help, Victoria."

"Always glad to be of service, Max." purred the blonde, stepping off the bed with far more motion than was necessary and sauntering towards Max. "Call on me anytime you need help."

"I'll be sure to–"

"HANDS OFF MY GIRLFRIEND YOU BLONDE BITCH OF A SUCCUBUS!"

The door to Victoria's dorm swung open, smacking into Max's skull and sending her toppling forward, right on top of Victoria. Chloe charged in like a rhino, brandishing a baseball bat and sporting a manic glare that promised pain of the worst sort. A glare that turned into a look of horror as she took in the sight of a flustered Max sprawled on top of a stark-naked Victoria.

"What the flipping shit!?" screamed Chloe, clenching the bat. "What is going on here!?"

"Chloe, I can explain!" panicked Max, tearing herself away from the now annoyed Victoria. "I needed help with photography and she offered to help me get better at taking pictures of other people by offering to be a nude model!"

The blue-haired girl stared at Max in disbelief. "And you believed her!?"

Max opened her mouth to retort, but she was unable to provide a decent rebuttal. "Now that I think about it…that sounds really ridiculous when you say it out loud."

Victoria huffed and rolled her eyes. "How did you even know we were here?"

"Kate, bless her sexy ass, overheard what you were telling Max this morning, and told me."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Then…why are you just now barging in?"

"I was…doing some stuff." she replied sheepishly. "Private stuff."

"Getting high?" snorted Victoria derisively.

Chloe bared her fangs. "Fuck off, you preppy slut."

"Pot calling the kettle black, you wretched punk cunt."

"At least I've got clothes on!"

"This time."

The punk rocker moved towards Victoria, bat raised, but was stopped by Max putting a hand on her shoulder. "Chloe, chill. She didn't mean anything by it."

"Like hell she didn't!" snapped the blue-haired girl. "I'm about four seconds away from braining her ass."

"You and what army, you goddamn degenerate?"

"You're gonna be a fucking _stain_ when I'm done with–"

" _ **Enough!**_ " Max's enraged shout made both girls jump. Grabbing Chloe's hand, she turned to face Victoria, desperately trying to keep her eyes off the blonde's chest. "Victoria, thanks for the help, and the opportunity, but I'm gonna take off."

"Bye, Max." She winked and licked her lips before blowing the hipster a kiss. "Come by again real soon."

Max barely managed to grab Chloe's hand just as she swung the bat. "See you in class." The pair scurried out, leaving behind a dejected blonde.

* * *

"You should've let me bash her head in." grumbled Chloe, hands gripping the steering wheel.

"Yes, 'cuz a murder charge would make your rap sheet look lovely." snarked Max.

Chloe's response was to growl lowly and slam on the gas. In no time at all, they had reached the Price house. Chloe practically leapt from the car and zoomed around to the passenger door, yanking Max from it. Wordlessly, she dragged her girlfriend into the house, up the stairs, and to her room.

What was once a den of punk rock had underwent an enormous change. For starters, it was a lot cleaner; Max could see the floor. And the scent of cigarettes and and dirty clothes had faded…mostly. Studio lights dotted the four corners of the room, and a white tarp was draped over Chloe's bed. It wasn't a five-star, professional setup, but it was pretty damn close.

Max stared at the renovation with quavering lips, eyes shimmering like stars. "H-How…how did you do all this?"

"Wasn't easy, I tell you." smirked Chloe. "But I figure the less you know about how I got this stuff together, the better."

"You stole it?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny any illicit activity. Less talk, more camera action. There's film in the drawer."

"You mean…you're gonna model for me?"

Chloe leaned down and gave Max a quick kiss on the nose. "What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't help you out with your hobby? And feel free to use my pictures however you want."

"You're horrible." Max laughed as she got the film. "But you're also mine."

"Damn right I am."


	6. Cuddly

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** Silly name, stellar snuggles.

* * *

"Um…what the fuck is that?" asked Victoria, pointing at the brown object clutched in Max's hand.

The hipster girl smiled and held up the object; a stuffed bear with brown fur, sporting a determined smile on his face and wearing a kung fu outfit. "Like him?"

A tic broke in Victoria's eye. When she invited Max over to her dorm for a sleepover, she didn't expect her to bring a guest. "That…that is a stuffed bear."

"Yeah. His name's Grizz Li. Isn't he cute?" Max proceeded to smoosh the bear against her face, cooing softly.

' _Holy fuck she's such a dork but she's so adorable how is this even possible?'_ "He's…very…well-kept. But you're eighteen, Max. Aren't you a little old for stuffed animals? Like thirteen years over the limit?"

Max pouted and covered the bear's ears. "You shush; he'll hear you."

Victoria bit her lip hard to hold back the squeak that threatened to spill out. "Okay, fine. The bear–"

"Grizz Li." corrected Max.

"–Grizz Li. He can stay."

"Epic!" cheered the hipster girl, leaping for joy and planting a kiss on Victoria's cheek. "Grizz Li thanks you." She held up the bear and spoke in a 'play gruff' voice. "'I appreciate the hospitality, Chase-san.'"

Victoria turned away and covered her mouth, cheeks burning red and the widest smile in the world covering her face.

* * *

Hours of trashy B-rated horror movies, artery-clogging junk food, and a glass of wine (or two) later, and the pair were getting ready to turn in. Victoria lay on her bed, arms open, awaiting her darling hipster. The brunette eased herself into the embrace of Victoria, Grizz Li cradled in her arms like a priceless treasure. In the effort of curbing her bitchiness, she held her tongue and swallowed the clever quip that formed in her mind.

It was roughly half an hour later when Victoria heard Max's soft voice in the dark, quiet stillness of her dorm. "I love you…"

Victoria's cheeks colored, and her heart rate tripled. Smiling wide, she nuzzled Max's ear and whispered "I love you, too."

There was a beat of silence. "Um…" came the hipster's uneasy voice. "I was…actually talking to Grizz Li."

Victoria's cheeks stayed their rosy color, but now for a different reason. "Fuck." She felt Max turn around in her arms and plant her lips on her own in a kiss. Even in the dark, she could see Max's glowing smile.

"I love you, too, Tori." She held up her stuffed bear. "'And Grizz Li loves Chase-san.'"

Victoria lightly bonked Max's head with a fist. "You precious dork."

" _Your_ precious dork."


	7. Possessive

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** Chloe wants people to know Max is hers. And by people, she meant the world.

* * *

Possessive was a word that simplified Chloe Price. When something she liked entered her life, she was possessive of it. Music, her identity, her truck, Rachel Amber, and more recently, Max Caulfield.

Whenever she and Max were about, Chloe felt the almost pathological need to show off to the world that yes, Max was hers, no, you couldn't have her, and ha ha, sucks to be you all Max-less with your sad self.

Then came Kate Marsh. Mousy, polite, soft-spoken, demure. The complete opposite of Chloe. She had no idea what Max saw in her. Maybe it was the ass. And though Chloe hated sharing (especially Max), she had to admit, Kate was a borderline angel, and made her little hipster happy. For once in her life, Chloe was happy to share.

And then she came into the picture. That pompous, vindictive bitch with clothes worth more than her truck and an attitude Chloe wanted to beat her with. The girl who had made Max's life hell for a while, and then strolled in like she had done no wrong. The tearful apologies, the grateful hugs, the appreciative gestures–and Max had fallen for all of it! 'Forgive and forget', she'd said, but Chloe was disinclined to agree.

Kate she could handle. She even grew to like her after a while. But Victoria was a Great Wall, an Everest, an English Channel that hindered her time with Max, and it had to stop–soon.

That was the train of thought the punk rocker went with as she strolled into the cafeteria, shoved Victoria to the ground, pounced into Max's lap, and, in full view of the school, began to eat her face.

When she was finished, leaving Max blushing, breathless, and wanting more, she turned to the wide-eyed Victoria, flashing the blonde a satisfied smirk. Haughtily, she pulled Max to her chest and lovingly patted the hipster's head.

"She's mine." drawled Chloe, azure eyes alight with triumph. "Deal with it."

"Ahem."

"And Kate gets her on weekends."


	8. A Celebration

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** It's Max's birthday, and all hell breaks loose.

* * *

Birthdays never seemed to mean a lot to Max. Oh, sure, they were cause for celebration, but after drifting apart from Chloe, the annual event seemed to lose its luster. When she left her, it seemed as though all her joy for cake, candles, and gifts stayed behind with her.

But Chloe was back now, and it seemed as though birthdays would have a blue shine in her future, and she would gladly welcome it.

That's why, as the sun broke over the horizon, and she felt a pair of lips on her ear, she smiled contentedly, deciding to feign sleep a little longer, just to see where her favorite punk rocker would go.

She seemed to sense Max was playing a game, and decided to do what any good girlfriend would do; up the ante. She lightly nibbled Max's ear, working her way from the soft lobe to her neck, down to her collarbone.

The hipster girl moaned softly, trying her best to keep her eyes closed. She felt something wet press against her crotch and marveled; was Chloe so turned on her arousal was soaking her _own_ panties?

She felt the same wetness on her shirt now, and that raised a flag. Max opened her eyes the slightest bit, and snapped them open as she took in not the sight of her punk rock girlfriend Chloe, but her other girlfriend, queen bee Victoria Chase.

"Good morning, geek." she smiled, lightly booping the hipster's nose. "I was afraid you'd never wake up."

Max couldn't form words; she was far too preoccupied with the state Victoria was in. There wasn't a stitch on her, but she wasn't totally naked. A layer of whipped cream coated her breasts and crotch, the latter starting to melt, no doubt from the blonde's juices mixing with the topping. Where her nipples were, two cherries were placed, enticing Max with their redness.

"It's bad form to have dessert before breakfast…" she cooed, pushing her breasts together and holding them out towards Max. "But it's your birthday; I think an exception is in order."

"Ooh, wowzers…" Max whispered, thanking all the birthday gods.

Max took one of Victoria's breasts, cradling it in her hand as she licked at the cream. The blonde moaned and bit her lip as she felt her girlfriend's eager tongue lap, lap, lap at the topping. She squeaked, quite audibly, a moment later when she felt Max's hand push through the sweet barrier on her crotch, slender finger sliding into her wet hole. "Oh, fuck, Maaax…" she mewled.

Max, having licked away most of the cream surrounding Victoria's nipple, took the cherry in her mouth, holding it just against the hardened nub. She bit down, the juice from the sweet fruit dripping onto the bed.

Chewing and swallowing the tasty treat, she kept her lips on Victoria's breast, coiling her tongue on her nipple, grinding her teeth against the sensitive flesh, the taste of whipped cream, cherry, and Victoria's sweat mixing together and dancing along her tongue.

Not wanting to be outdone, Victoria all but shoved her hand into Max's soaked, inviting snatch, swirling her finger about. Loud, appreciative moans escaped Max's plump lips, and the hipster began to move her hips in time with the motions of Victoria's finger. Max continued to suckle, nibbles turning into gradually harder bites…

 _ **CRASH**_ went the sound of Max's door as it exploded inward, Chloe leaping through, trademark shit-eating grin plastered on her face. "Who wants birthday sex!?"

The sudden entrance of Chloe triggered a chain reaction of events. The shock caused Mad to bite down, hard, making Victoria scream in pain. This caused her to accidentally dig her finger into Max's cunt, not hard enough to draw blood, but hard enough to make the hipster girl scream. Unfortunately, this caused Max's own finger to press hard against Victoria's vagina, making her scream again, louder this time.

In the span of about eight seconds, the mood was ruined, both girls moaning in pain, rubbing their attacked spots.

Chloe surveyed the scene, raising a confused eyebrow. "What the hell happened here?" It was then she noticed Victoria's state. "You preppy bitch, you stole my idea!"

Max managed to crack open her eye to see that, for once, Victoria and Chloe were on the same page. Whipped cream covered her breasts and crotch, though it was a messier job than Victoria's. But in place of cherries on her nipples, mini Oreos stared back at her; her favorite snack. Max would've appreciated the thought if she didn't feel like a mountain goat had been launched at her vagina.

"You…ouch…" whimpered Victoria as tears stung her eyes. "You stupid, unbelievably idiotic blue-haired bitch."

"Hey, what did I do?" huffed Chloe, hands on her hips.

"Have you EVER heard of knocking?" rasped Max.

 _-knock knock knock-_

"Like that, exactly."

"Uh…that wasn't me."

Three pairs of eyes turned to see the concerned face of Kate poke through the door. "Good morning, everyone." she smiled, stepping in. In place of her standard attire was a trenchcoat, no doubt to protect her from the autumn chill. She took one quick glance of the room and her face instantly took on the color of the cherry Max had gnoshed on moments ago. "Did I miss something?"

"Only Chloe–oh, fuck, this _hurts_ –being an inconsiderate rhino like always."

"Fuck you, prep-strap; I was trying to do something nice for our girlfriend's birthday."

"And that resulted in both of us getting our girls damaged." Victoria sucked in a breath and buried her face in Max's pillow, a muffled, enraged scream following shortly after.

Kate walked over to Victoria and put a comforting hand on the blonde's shoulder. "I have an ice pack in my room. You're welcome to it."

Victoria pulled her head from the pillow and gave Kate An appreciative, tear-streaked smile. "Have I mentioned lately you're an actual angel?"

Kate nodded and planted a kiss on Victoria's forehead, pulling away with a smile. "Many times."

After Victoria left, Kate gave Chloe a stern, but not quite harsh lecture about the importance of knocking, and sent her on her way. The punk rocker, though dejected, complied, grumbling about how Max 'never got to taste her cookies'.

"Not exactly a great start to your birthday, is it?" giggled Kate once she made sure the two were alone.

"It's not so bad. Good thing I'm a fast healer." It was then she got a good look at the state of Kate's dress. "By the way, it's not that cold out. Why the trenchcoat?"

A playful grin sneaked its way into Kate's face. Slowly, wordlessly, she stood up from the bed and began to undo the buttons on the coat. Once she undid the final button, the coat fell away, pooling around her ankles.

Kate Marsh certainly had the face and heart of an angel, but there was definitely a devil in there somewhere. Elegant pink and gold strapless negligee hung off her form, the see-through material providing perfect viewing access to Kate's ample bosom. Gold ribbons snaked around her wrists and thighs, a particularly large one wrapped around her waist. Max's gaze drifted to between Kate's legs, where she could see wetness begin to gather beneath her blonde curls.

"They got you cake…" purred Kate, sauntering over to Max, swaying her hips and entrancing the brunette. "But I got you a present."


	9. Campy

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** The girls' latest hobby is met with an unforeseen saboteur.

* * *

"Cover me! I'm about to fucking die!"

Max's hands were a blur as she played, her avatar rushing towards Chloe's. But before she even got halfway to her, her avatar's head exploded, falling to the ground from a well-aimed sniper shot. "Fuck." Max hissed, tossing her controller into the ground.

Victoria wasn't fairing any better; her limited experience with first-person shooters left her falling behind her teammates, and she had seen the respawn screen more times than either of them combined. Just as she was prepping her rocket launcher, another sniper shot took her out. "Son of a BITCH!" she screamed, hurling her controller at the screen; but Max was already there, and caught it expertly, handing it back to a surprised Victoria.

"Did you rewind?" asked Chloe.

"Nah, just figured that's what she'd do."

The blonde turned to glare at her girlfriend. "Am I so predictable, hipster?"

"Yes."

Victoria hissed and crossed her arms, glaring at the screen.

Max was never really one for videogames, but when Chloe had burst into her room one day with an Xbox and a copy of Black Ops 2, she couldn't resist the puppy-dog look the punk rocker gave her, and decided to humor her.

Chloe didn't count on two things; Max realizing she liked the game, and her having an apparent knack for it. Eventually Victoria got in on the action, but she, in a word, sucked. They never asked Kate, feeling that the game would be too violent for her, and might conflict with her beliefs.

Lately, the trio's gaming sessions had been ruined by an almost unbeatable sniper, one who seemed to have all three girls pegged.

"Who is this fucking asshole?" spat the blonde, pulling up the menu. It was easy to see their username; they had the most kills. "'GodIsGood'? What kind of bullshit username is that?"

-/-/-/-/-

Kate set down her controller and smiled as one by one, the usernames belonging to Chloe, Max, and Victoria exited the lobby. Before Victoria left, she shouted a series of expletives into her headset, and the sound of it crashing into the wall was the last thing she heard.

"That 360 no-scope headshot was for the lord." she whispered to herself, shutting off her game.

Just because the didn't ask, didn't mean she didn't know how.


	10. Nightmarish

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** The nights can be the hardest, and the dreams the darkest. But with someone close by, senses the sharpest, pleasant dreams can make way, with love as the harness.

* * *

 _Slut._

 _Whore._

 _Hypocrite._

Kate squirmed restlessly in her bed, cruel, taunting voices swirling about in her head as she tried to sleep.

 _What a two-faced bitch. Going on and on about the Bible and she acts like that?_

 _Did you see the video? She wanted it._

 _Imagine the look on her parent's faces!_

 _Doubt she'll get into heaven now…_

"Shut up!" Kate jolted into a sitting position, eyes red and puffy with tears. A thin film of cold sweat coated her body, despite the room being at an even temperature.

The sound of hurried footsteps reached her ears and seconds later she heard someone knock on the door. "Kate? It's Victoria. Are you okay in there?"

Victoria. Hers had been one of the voices she heard in her nightmare. When news of Kate's behavior at the Vortex Club party reached the school at large, she had been one of the first to ridicule her for it.

Even though amends had been made, even with the two of them in a relationship with two other people close to her heart, even though her teachings emphasized forgiveness, she couldn't forget how nasty the blonde had been to her, how cruel and callous she was. And even though it was months ago, she could hear that taunting voice as though she was reliving that horror only yesterday.

"Kate?" Victoria called again, a bit more worry in her voice.

Sighing, Kate got to her feet and opened the door. Victoria had clearly rushed; her hair, which was normally perfectly maintained, even in her sleep, was a mess, and her silk pajamas were ruffled. "Are you okay?"

There was genuine concern in her voice, Kate realized. She still wasn't used to hearing that. Kate sniffles and wiped her eyes again. "I'm fine."

Victoria gave Kate a skeptical look. "Are you sure? You don't seem fine. Your eyes are red. Were you crying?"

"I'm fine." Kate repeated, turning away to close the door. But Victoria stuck her foot in, preventing it from closing.

"You're not fine." spoke Victoria firmly. "Tell me what's wrong."

Kate knew Victoria wouldn't drop the issue. Persistence was one of her best qualities. "I…had a nightmare."

Immediately, Victoria's hardened gaze softened. "About what?"

The reluctance on Kate's face was palpable, but the sooner she got tie out in the open, the better. "It was…about that incident at the Vortex Club a while back."

Immediately Victoria's blood turned to ice. Many a time her thoughts turned back to how vicious she had been to Kate, and not a day went by when she didn't feel remorse; taunting her with the video link, disparaging remarks as she walked by, all but driving her to suicide. The memory left a bitter taste in her mouth, and hearing her girlfriend mention it made her heart sink.

Kate opened the door wider, allowing Victoria to enter. "I guess I'm still not really over it."

Unsure of what to say, Victoria twiddled her thumbs.

"Some nights, I still hear everyone judging me…see everyone sneering at me. And you know whose voice is always loudest?" Victoria felt she knew the answer. "Yours."

Victoria moved closer to Kate, but still left a degree of personal space between them. "Kate." Her voice came out in a shaky quiver, but she quickly composed herself. "I can never really make up for how terrible I was to you; I know that."

"Victoria–"

The preppy girl held up a hand. "Let me finish. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it." She took a deep breath, calming herself before speaking again. "I was a bitch back then. I still kinda am. And me admitting it doesn't really make me that much better, just more honest."

"I was cruel to you. To Max. To Chloe. To pretty much everybody, even Dana and Taylor. But when I saw you on the roof, it made me realize…words really can hurt a person. I just never thought about it. I never really thought much about anyone but myself."

"Then you and Max and even that brat Chloe showed me just how evil I was. I can never thank you for that."

Victoria moved closer and took Kate's hands into her own. "I wasn't there for you then, but I'll be here for you now. That's a promise."

Kate was crying again now, but for a different reason. A warm smile spread across her face, and she pulled Victoria towards her, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug.

"Victoria Chase?" she spoke, voice barely audible.

"Yeah?"

"…Thank you."

A smile crossed Victoria's face now, and she squeezed her girlfriend tighter. "You're welcome."

"Can you stay with me tonight?"

The peppy girl patted Kate's head and lovingly rubbed her back. "Like you have to ask."

* * *

Morning broke over Blackwell Academy, the sun casting beams of light across the campus. Several streamed through the blinds in Kate's dorm, bathing the dwelling in a warm glow.

Victoria rose from the bed and did a light stretch, working the kinks out of her neck. Looking down next to her, she smiled at the sight.

Kate slept soundly, blonde hair hanging over her angelic face. A serene smile told her that she had made it through the night without incident, a piece of knowledge that warned Victoria's heart.

Deciding they could be a little late for breakfast, she lied back down in the bed, snaking an arm around Kate's waist as she drifted back off to sleep.

Unbeknownst to a Victoria, Kate scooter closer to her girlfriend, and as sleep overtook her once more, her heart felt light, her cheeks became flushed, and her smile grew wider.

* * *

 _Happy birthday, Kate Marsh~!_


	11. Loose

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** When Kate lets her hair down, it makes her girlfriends want to go down.

* * *

"Remind me again why _she's_ allowed to eat here?"

Chloe shot Victoria a haughty smirk. "Because, nailing the Hero of Blackwell entitles me to certain benefits." She reached forward and snatched a strip of bacon of Victoria's plate, scarfing it down before the blonde could react. "And because I do what I fucking want, that's why."

Victoria scowled and moved her plate out of Chloe's reach. "I can't believe we're in a relationship…"

Max watched the two bicker with a bemused smile, returning to her cereal. In spite of their conflicting personalities, she knew, just as they loved her, they loved each other. Deep, deep down.

"At least my vagina isn't weird!" hissed Chloe, ducking as Victoria threw a pancake at her.

…Really deep.

Out of the corner of her eye, Max spotted Kate entering the cafeteria and waved the girl over. "Simmer down, you hotheads." chided the hipster. "I don't want Kate to have to deal with your sexual tension so early."

Both girls mock-laughed at Max but relented, each returning to their breakfast.

"Hi, girls." Kate greeted, taking the space next to Max and planting a kiss on her cheek. "Sorry I was late; my hairband broke and I didn't have a spare."

"It's cool, no trouble at aaaaaaa…" Max's voice trailed off as she stared at Kate. For as long as she'd known the girl, she had never once seen the girl's hair out of its trademark bun. Even in their more intimate moments, when she thought for sure it would spill out, the bun stayed tight.

But now, thanks to a busted hairband, Max, Chloe, and Victoria could see the girl's hair in all its glory. The long, flowing locks reminded Max of early morning sunrise, cascading down her shoulders and ending just above the small of her back. Even in the not particularly flattering light of the cafeteria, her wavy hair shone iridescent gold, and the three dumbstruck girls could swear they saw a halo above her head.

"Is…is something wrong?" asked Kate, self-conscious from all the staring.

"Your hair…" Victoria stammered. "It's…it's down."

"I've literally never seen your hair down." gaped Chloe.

"You look…you look…" Max fumbled for words. "Wowzers."

Kate blushed and looked away, hiding the smile that threatened to split her face. "Oh, hush you three."

"You should seriously wear your hair down more." suggested Victoria, Chloe and Max nodding along in agreement.

"I don't know…I never really gave it that much thought." She faced her girlfriends, twirling a lock of her shimmering hair. "You really think so?"

"Definitely!" they shouted in unison.

Kate giggled and batted her eyelashes at the enamored teens. "I suppose I'll take it into consideration…for all of you."

Victoria leapt to her feet, face scarlet. "Max, I just remembered! We have to…to…do that thing!"

"…Uh…what thing?" Max asked.

"You know…" She bit her lip and subtly jerked her head to the cafeteria entrance. "That thing…?"

Max's eyes widened as she caught on to Victoria's signal; a little sign they developed letting the other know that they were randy and needed to get down to business, ASANow. "Oh, right, _that_ thing. Lead the way."

The pair scurried off, leaving behind nearly-full plates and a baffled Kate and Chloe.

"What was that about?" asked the blonde.

Chloe shrugged and pulled the discarded plates towards herself. "Fuck if I know, but I'm gonna finish off these and then find the nearest bathroom and work myself over to the image of you with long hair."

Kate's face, if possible, turned redder than before. "Chloe!"

"What?" replied the punk rocker through a mouthful of pancake. "Why lie about it?"

The blonde sighed and rested her head against Chloe's shoulder. "Sometimes you wear me out."

Chloe snaked an arm around Kate's waist, pulling her closer. "Just wait until I finish breakfast."

* * *

 _Happy Birthday, Kate Marsh~!_


	12. Simple

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** Simple is as simple does.

* * *

"Booze, bitches!" shouted Chloe, bursting through the door to Max's dorm with a swift kick. In her arms she carried cases of liquor, the clinking of bottles a cacophony as she set them down on Max's bed.

Victoria regarded the punk rocker with a scowl. "Do you have to announce to the entire dorm that we're drinking illegally, you idiot?"

"We have occasionally loud sex in these cramped-as-fuck rooms, and what you're worried about is getting busted for drinking?"

Much as Victoria hated to admit it, she had no response to that. She settled for flipping the bird.

The door swung open, Max scurrying in with a bright pink Carvel box. She also sported a cut lip and a swollen eye, both of which drew attention from Chloe and Victoria.

"Shit, Max, are you okay?"

"What happened?"

"Did some guy give you trouble?"

"Want me to kill their family line for you?"

Max held up a hand for silence and took a breath. "In order…" she rasped. "I'm fine, I got the cake, not a guy, and no, Tori, that won't be necessary." She stowed away the ice cream cake in the mini-fridge and slumped on the bed, groaning. "So I got to the store, and the cake was there, but the second I grabbed it, some Gucci-glasses wearing, soccer-mom haircut bitch tried to snatch it from me. I wouldn't let it go, so she punched me."

"She WHAT!?" screamed Chloe, and Victoria was already dialing up her dad to coordinate a manhunt. Max calmly reached over and closed the blonde's phone.

"I'm fine. You should see what I did to her." she smirked. "Broke that bitch's leg and ripped out a chunk of her hair."

"Hella fucking yes!" cheered Chloe, high-fiving the hipster. "Mad Max strikes again!"

Sighing in relief, Victoria stood and hefted up her backpack, unzipping it. A bevy of decorations fell out, and the blonde set about placing them around the dorm. "While I'm setting this up, Chloe, you bring up the rest."

Chloe's heart skipped a beat. "Uh…what rest?"

Slowly, Victoria turned around, eyes boring into Chloe's. "What do you mean 'what rest?' The pizza, the snacks, the party games, the shit you _promised_ you'd bring."

Chloe twiddled her thumbs. "I…uh…I thought you were getting that stuff."

Victoria leapt at Chloe but was expertly caught by Max, who had to hold her back from tearing her girlfriend's face off. The punk rocker backed up against the door, fearing for her life. "Max, holy shit, did you rewind?"

"Let's just say, in an alternate timeline, you have a very ripped shirt and a very bloody nose."

"I'll kill you, Price!" shrieked Victoria, struggling in Max's surprisingly firm grip. "I'll kill you and dance on your shallow grave!"

"Hey, not funny! I almost _did_ die a bunch of times."

"Don't remind me." Max grumbled.

After Victoria settled down, Chloe left to grab the things she'd forgotten, leaving Max alone with a very disgruntled blonde. With some consoling, and a promise of a trip to the art museum later, Victoria calmed down and went back to redecorating.

If Max had known planning a surprise party for Kate would be such a hassle, she'd have delegated the role of distraction to someone else. But it was her birthday; short of committing crime, she'd do anything for her special girl.

Okay, maybe she'd steal a scrunchie.

Her phone beeped and Max pulled it out, scanning the text. Her eyes widened and she leapt to her feet, making that half-squeal half-gurgle sound she made when she was worried. "Shit! Kate's coming down here!"

"What!?" Victoria quietly screamed. "Stop her, do something! You're the one in charge of distracting her!"

"W-What do I say!"

Victoria wrung her hands. "Um…say you're naked!"

Max stared at Victoria, wondering if she just heard what she thought she did. "Tori. She's seen me naked. She's seen you naked. She's seen Chloe naked. We had an orgy like four days ago."

"I don't see you coming up with any bright ideas! Use that head of yours for something besides perverted goals!"

"She said, not remembering at all that she was the first one who agreed to said orgy."

"Who says 'no' to an orgy!?"

-knock knock knock-

" _Shit!_ " the two girls whispered.

Max rushed to the door, and just as Kate was opening, slammed it shut. "Don't come in, Kate! I'm uh…I'm naked!"

Kate's giggle was audible through the door. "Max, we've seen each other naked. If I recall, four days ago, we–"

"Yes, yes, I know, but it's different this time! I uh…needed to show Victoria something!" Behind her, the blonde mouthed an incredulous 'WHAT!?' "Something medical." Once more, Victoria mouthed 'WHAT!?'

"O-Oh…should I come back?"

"Yes! Yes, come back in about…half an hour!"

"Okay, then. I hope…everything goes alright." Max pressed her ear to the door and sighed in relief as she heard Kate's retreating footsteps.

"Oh, thank god."

"'Show Victoria something?!'"

"It was all I could think of!"

"Think better!"

* * *

Chloe eventually returned with a bag of board games, three piping hot boxes of pizza, and enough chips and dip to feed an army of stoners, Victoria decorated the dorm, and Max had alerted Kate that things were fine and she was free to come to the dorm. The three girls gathered close together, practically bouncing on their heels with glee as they waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

After about an hour of waiting, the trio began to worry.

"You think she got lost?" asked Chloe.

Victoria scoffed. "On her way to a dorm less than thirty yards away? She's not you."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"You couldn't find your own ass without GPS navigation."

"You had no problem finding it four days ago!"

While the pair bickered. Max looked through her phone. To her shock, she had received a text from Kate less than two minutes after giving her the all-clear; in her excitement, she must not have heard the alert.

"Uh, guys…I got a text from Kate."

Removing her hands from Victoria's neck, Chloe gave Max a concerned look. "What's it say?"

"Apparently some friends surprised her with a party and she's with them now, at the beach."

Silence hung in the air like a sharp blade until Chloe spoke up. "Okay, so we're kidnapping her."

"We're what!?" exclaimed Max.

"This was our chance to show Kate how much we love her! And now some neophytes–" Max and Victoria shared a surprised glance. "–are gonna muscle in on our turf? Like hell! C'mon, dudes; we're getting our girlfriend!"

"For once, I agree with you." spoke Victoria, getting to her feet. "Let's get Kate."

"You were sure agreeing with her four days ago."

"Will you _shut up_ about that!?"

* * *

When a few of her schoolmates had picked her up saying they were treating her to a surprise party, Kate had been reluctant at first; she had wanted to spend the day with her girlfriends. But they'd looked so pleading, she couldn't resist. She'd spend an hour with them at most, then rush straight back to Blackwell to enjoy the evening with her three favorite people in the world.

"Thanks for the fun everyone," she spoke, waving goodbye to the other partygoers. "But I have to go. See you tomor–"

A beat up truck screeched down the beach, kicking up sand and pissing off more than a few beachgoers. The vehicle stopped right in front of Kate, the door swinging open. A girl (evident by the figure) wearing a black ski mask, dashed out from the truck, grabbed Kate, and dragged her, shrieking, into the truck. The cargo secure, it sped off, kicking up another cloud of sand.

* * *

"Well, that was easier than I thought." spoke a masked Victoria from the driver's seat.

"You'd better let me go!" shouted Kate, glaring at her captor. "My girlfriend's a giant, and she can kick your ass!"

"Hey!" Chloe replied, whipping off her ski mask and revealing her signature shit-eating grin. "I'm not that big!"

Kate gaped at the blue-haired girl. "Chloe!"

"Surprise!" Max popped up from behind Kate's seat, flashing the blonde a smile equal parts ecstatic and terrified. "I am so sorry."

"As far as abductions go, this could've gone worse." smirked Chloe. "And wait 'til you see the setup we've got back at the do–GAH!"

Chloe crashed into Max as Victoria took a rather sharp turn. "What the fuck, Chase!?" snapped the punk rocker. "Did you get your license from a cereal box!?"

"I told you I couldn't drive stick all that great!" hissed the blonde. "That's why I didn't wanna drive! It's your stupid car!"

"Max doesn't have her license and I'm the only one strong enough to carry Kate. Were you gonna do it, you noodle-armed bitch?"

"I'm gonna drive us into a _**fucking**_ ravine!"

Max wrapped her arms around Kate and gave Victoria a dirty look. "Not with the most precious angel in the world in this car you're not!"

* * *

While initially terrified, Kate calmed down enough to fully appreciate the lengths her girlfriends would go for her happiness. She was, however, curious why they didn't think to call or text first, and Chloe and Victoria suffered a harsh brow-beating from Max.

However, the excitement was short-lived once they got back to the dorm. At some point during their excursion, the mini-fridge had suffered a short, the contents within melting, including the ice cream cake Max had assaulted a suburban mom for. To add insult to injury, the pizzas were stone cold, the alcohol was warm, and the decorations did little to brighten the dim room.

"This…" Chloe sighed. "Was a total bust."

"Kate, we're so sorry…" sniffled Max, gazing sadly at the sludgy, soggy box that used to hold a delicious ice cream cake. "We tried so hard to make this the perfect day for you, and…"

"We screwed up." mumbled Victoria. "Can you ever forgive us?"

Smiling, Kate pulled the girls towards her in a loving hug. In turn, she gave each of them a kiss and a comforting pat on the back. "Girls," she spoke. "I didn't need a fancy, extravagant party. The best day, the best gift…it's just being with you three."

Those words warmed the girls' hearts, and happy tears flowed freely down their cheeks. "Kate…" spoke Victoria. "We–" Chloe beat her to the punch, shoving Victoria aside and crashing her lips against Kate's. "You bitch!"

Victoria tried to pry Chloe off Kate, only for the blue-haired girl to pull her down with her, Max soon following. The three collapsed on Kate in a happy, laughing mess.

"Wait, before we do anything." spoke Kate. "I should call one of the people from the beach and let them know I'm fine. Nothing ruins the moment like a cop."

Victoria sighed as she recalled four days ago. "Don't I know it."

* * *

Holy SHIT this was a behemoth. But so worth it. Fluff and comedy keeps me going. That and mozzarella sticks. Thanks to all who've been reading/liking/reviewing my stuff. More is on the way. Oh, and happy birthday, Kate Marsh~!


	13. Shop 'Till You Drop

**Disclaimer** **:** I don't own Life is Strange.

* * *

 **Summary:** Retail is a monster unto itself.

* * *

Max Caulfield never considered herself a fashionista. To her, a fashion statement was simply having clothes on. She never followed trends, shied away from fashion magazines, and couldn't care less about things like coordinating or style.

This, unfortunately, irked Victoria to no end. She loved Max, but the girl's fashion choices (or lack thereof), were horrendously bland. Simple shirts and jeans did not an acceptable wardrobe make, and so she took it upon herself, one weekend, to educate the hipster on how to dress like a proper girlfriend of a Victoria Chase.

"This sucks." Max grumbled as Victoria dragged her down the shops of the Arcadia Bay Mall. "You know I don't like shopping for clothes, Tori."

"That's why I'm here; to help you. You've played the role of drab little wallflower for too long, Max Caulfield. It's time for you to break the mold."

Max gestured behind her, where Chloe and Kate were trailing behind, the former grinning ear to ear, the latter looking rather apologetic. "Then why aren't you forcing this on them?"

"Kate has her own style. It's conservative, but it's hers. And Chloe is a lost cause."

"Watch it, Chase." the blue-haired girl warned. "I'm your ride back." Victoria went quiet but stealthily flipped her the bird.

"Tori, if you're gonna force me to do this, I want some reimbursement."

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Fine. Name it. New camera? Bag of your favorite cookies? Special Edition DVD of Spirits Within?"

"No, I don't want–" Max paused, eyes twinkling. "Special Edition? …No, no, I don't want any of those."

"Then what? Just ask, and no matter what it is, I'll make it happen."

A devious grin made its way onto Max's face. "I want you to do that thing I like."

Victoria stopped instantly, Max nearly crashing into her. The blonde whipped her head around, cheeks flaming red and eyes wide. "Y-You _what?"_

"You said 'anything'." Chloe smirked, relishing the moment. "And a Chase never goes back on her word, right?"

"Of all the things to keep in your walnut-sized brain, you keep _that?"_ Victoria groaned and ran a hand through her hair. "Fine, I'll…do that thing you like."

Max extended her pinky and held it towards Victoria. "Pinky swear?"

The blonde bit her lip to prevent the overjoyed squeak from spilling out. Rolling her eyes, she extended her own pinky and wrapped it around Max's. "Pinky swear."

A short while of dragging later led the quartet to their destination, what Victoria called 'the retail capital of Arcadia Bay'. It stood before them, a monolithic store where the very foundation seemed to drip high fashion and eloquence. The store known as the Preen, Tend, and Shun Outlet.

"I don't know how I feel about entering a store with 'shun' in its name." pouted Max.

"Hush." Victoria chided. "The name isn't important. What is important is that when I'm done with you, every girl will want to be you, every girl wrapped around you."

"I don't want every girl wrapped around me." Max sighed. "Just…y'know, the three of you."

"Awww." Chloe and Kate cooed in unison.

"Flattery will get you nowhere." But Victoria's cheeks were bright pink all the same. "Now, c'mon."

From the second they entered the store, Chloe, Kate, and Max felt out of place. It was as though Neiman Marcus, Dolce and Gabbana, and Chanel had combined their collective high-prices and formed them into one huge superstore. It was so large than the four could barely see the end of it from the entrance, and the bright lights above streamed from crystal chandeliers that threatened to blind the group.

Rows of pricey handbags and shoes stretched across the store, and past that was a maze of flashy, upscale clothes that Max had only ever seen celebrities wear at award shows on TV. Exposed to this ocean of affluence, only one word could do it justice. "Wowzers."

Before anyone else could react, a pencil-thin man with hair so slicked back it was a wonder his wasn't peeling appeared next to them. "A pleasure seeing you again, Ms. Chase." he spoke in a posh voice. He glanced at the three girls surrounding the blonde and wrinkled his nose. "And I see you've brought…guests."

"Good morning, Bruce." Chloe greeted. "I'm looking for something to spice up my girlfriend's wardrobe. Any recommendations?"

Bruce's eyes shifted to Max, giving her a quick look up and down, the brunette shifting uncomfortably beneath his gaze. "I'm sure I can find something. Follow me." He turned on his heel and began strolling down the aisles, Max and Victoria following close behind.

"Hey, what're we supposed to do?" asked Chloe.

"Whatever. Just don't destroy anything. There are scarves here more expensive than your truck."

Chloe huffed and shoved her hands into her pockets, boredom overtaking her in no time flat. "Well, this day is sucking already."

"…We could try on clothes." The blue-haired girl whipped around to give Kate an incredulous look. "Well, we _are_ in a clothing store…"

"Kate, have you been paying attention? Even if I could afford this stuff–which I can't–I wouldn't be caught dead wearing it. It'd totally mess with my image."

A devious smile appeared on Kate's face. "We could make out in the coat aisle. It's pretty big."

Chloe's eyes glittered with mischief as she grabbed Kate's arm and strolled to the coats. "And they say pretty girls can't be smart."

-/-/-/-/-

"Hating this." Max hissed. "Really, really, really, _really_ hating this."

It was barely an hour since entering the store, and Max wanted nothing more than to rewind back to the start of the day and hide before Victoria could find her and drag her here. Already she'd tried on at least five different outfits, including a pencil skirt that she swore cut off her circulation, and a pair of heels that had to have been made by a negative version of Quentin Tarantino.

Currently she was dressed in a dark red cashmere cardigan not unlike the ones Victoria usually wore, a crisp blouse the color of the sunset sky underneath it. Hugging her lower half was a cream-colored taffeta skirt that, although breezy, still made her feel wrong.

"Stop complaining." Victoria pouted, eyeing Max up and down from all angles. "Trust me, you look amazing."

"I don't feel amazing." Max sighed and pulled at the edges of her skirt. "Tori, I get that you're trying to do a nice thing for me, and I appreciate it, but…all this…" she gestured around the shop. "…this isn't me."

The sorrow in Max's voice made her look up, and for the first time that day, she truly noticed how morose her girlfriend was. With a start, she realized that she hadn't smiled once since bringing her to the mall.

"…I feel really bad all of a sudden." mumble the blonde. "I'm the worst girlfriend ever."

"Not the worst…" Max spoke, trying to console Victoria. "Just…a little overzealous."

The two stood in silence for a few moments, each refusing to meet the other's gaze.

"What do you say to one more outfit, and then we leave?"

More than anything, Max wanted to refuse, but the hopeful look in Victoria's eye made her give in. With a sigh and a slump of her shoulders, she muttered "Alright.", and Victoria disappeared from the dressing room in a flash.

When she returned, she brought with her not a pants suit or brooch, nor sunglasses of Coach, but instead…a simple pink shirt with a white deer on the front, a grey hoodie, and blue jeans.

"…Tori…" Max spoke, wondering if her girlfriend was suffering a minor stroke. "These are the clothes I was wearing when we got here."

"I know." Victoria smiled, leaning forward and giving Max a quick kiss on the lips. "They're what you look best in."

Max's face turned as pink as her shirt, and a goofy, wide, and welcome smile spread across it. "Damn, that was smooth."

A short change later and Max was back in her usual attire, looking more comfortable and happy than she'd been all day. And even though Victoria was almost drooling at the sight of her in a skirt, she had to admit, the bohemian hipster look suited Max perfectly.

"Again, sorry for dragging you through all this." Victoria said as they left the dressing rooms. "Forgive me?"

Max slung an arm around Victoria's waist, flashing her a coy grin. "All is forgiven, Space Chase."

"Ugh, you and your references."

"Also…I believe you owe me something."

Victoria's heart skipped several beats, but she tried to play it off. "I…I don't know what you're talking about."

Max sidled up to Victoria, grinning cheekily. "Liaaaaaaaar…"

The blonde groaned and held her face in her hands. "Do I have to?"

"Yes. You owe me for spending a day of dressing me up."

Grumbling, blushing furiously, Victoria broke into a little jig, and began to sing. " _Max is the greatest, the best girl around; I wanna show her off to the whole damn town._ " Crossing her arms, she glowered at her girlfriend. "Happy?"

Another kiss was Max's response. "Very."

"MY WORD!"

Bruce's voice rang out from the coat aisles, a familiar and shirtless blue-haired punk dashing out from inside. Trailing just behind her was a flustered Kate, buttoning up her blouse and running as fast as she could.

"I think it's safe to say we can't come back here again." Max said as they ran after their friends.

"Just as well." replied Victoria. "Everything here is _way_ too expensive."

* * *

Thanks to jaythebee for the prompt, and for being such a great friend and fan~!^^


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